MEBANE — The first time Western Alamance played Eastern Alamance in boys’ soccer this season, it needed three straight goals to force overtime and a draw.

In Wednesday night’s rematch, there was no rally needed.

Western Alamance controlled the pace and worked its way to a 2-0 victory against the host Eagles in a Mid-State 3-A Conference matchup of previously undefeated teams.

The Warriors (10-0-2 overall, 6-0-2 Mid-State 3-A Conference) struck at about the midway point of the first half, when a centering pass from Sam Stafford was headed into the back of the net by Adam Richard.

“Great team effort, just ball movement to get the opportunity to get a goal, and then once we had it, it just set the tone,” Richard said of the first and eventual game-winning goal.

That tone was set for the rest of the first half and into the early minutes of the second half, when Paschal Geoffrey took a pass from Richard and drilled a low shot under the dive of Eagles goalkeeper Erik Fenton. It gave the Warriors a two-goal lead that was never really threatened for the rest of the game, as the Eagles managed only two shots on goal.

Warriors goalkeeper Tyler Billings made both saves, and his defense kept the pressure mostly on the other side of the field.

When the teams played last month, Western Alamance rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the second half to force a draw. According to Geoffrey, the Warriors were calmer in the second meeting of the cross-county rivals.

“This game, we were a lot more composed,” Geoffrey said. “It was easier (Wednesday night) for us. We weren’t all as hyped up as we were (in the first game against Eastern Alamance). We knew what to do, obviously.”

Richard said the Warriors took a business-like approach to pre-game warmups and that the team’s collective mind was clear from the start.

It certainly showed.

“There was just a different atmosphere before the game,” Richard said. “It was just, warm-ups, it was dead-silence. Coach (John Pardini) was just talking to us with real motivation and set it to them.”

Western Alamance held a 16-14 advantage in shots, but Eastern Alamance failed to control the ball for any extended periods of time.

And for Eagles coach Jason Speicher, it was a pitfall he saw coming for his team.

“I honestly believe we had this one coming,” Speicher said. “We haven’t touched the ball in six days, and it showed. We came out really flat and mentally, we just weren’t prepared for the fight we had to give (Wednesday night).”

Speicher’s team played three games last week, then both teams had games postponed Monday because of rain. That led to the long layoff, Speicher said.

But he also said there were other similar factors that led to the first loss of the season for Eastern Alamance (13-1-3, 5-1-2).

“I hate to say it, but … I was expecting it. As much as it stinks, I’d rather it come now than the playoffs,” Speicher said. “If that gives us the fire that we need to carry through the playoffs, it’s worth it now than later.”

On the other end, Western Alamance ascended to the top spot in the conference. According to Pardini, that comes as a result of a season-long approach to games.